Introduction

Ethics in business, academics, and everyday life lead to increased success financially, professionally, and
personally. The Rutland Institute for Ethics helps organizations and individuals create ethical guidelines
and practices with its many projects and programs. Unfortunately, at Clemson and in the Upstate, SC
business community, there is a lack participation in the activities and programs offered by the Rutland
Institute. Indeed, there seems to exist a lack of understanding of and appreciation of the importance of
ethics as an integral component of any successful endeavor. This proposal offers ways to increase
participation and membership in the Rutland institute by increasing awareness of it, its programs, and the
importance of ethics among campus and community members.

The Rutland Institute for Ethics was founded in 2001, building upon a tradition of trust between Clemson
University and the surrounding community. The Rutland Institute promotes personal and professional
success among students, faculty, business people, and citizens, by encouraging ethical practices in all areas
of personal, academic, and professional life. It provides a variety of programs and services that help to
create a foundation for success through a better understanding of the importance and benefits of ethical
behavior. Included in these programs are various seminars, corporate education programs, political
candidate training, and essay contests, among others. Students and citizens are educated about ethics,
what they are, and why they are important. They are shown that ethical paths are those that most often
lead to success in any of life’s endeavors. The programs and activities of The Rutland Institute, by
teaching and emphasizing ethics and their importance, are extremely valuable assets to Clemson, its
students, and its community.

Current Situation and Problem

Unfortunately, despite its many offerings, the Rutland Institute for Ethics is experiencing less-than-desired
participation in its programs and activities. It seems that students, faculty and members of the surrounding
community at Clemson are either unaware or uninterested in the importance of the institute and its
offerings. This lack of awareness of and participation in the programs offered by The Rutland Institute is
what I will address in this proposal.

The Rutland Institute’s marketing tools consist of its website, various printed tri-fold brochures, e-mail, and
word-of-mouth communication. These methods have proven somewhat helpful in explaining some of the
institute’s goals and programs, but participation remains low. These materials do not seem to be
generating enough awareness and the institute’s limited resources make it difficult to utilize more elaborate
and expensive marketing materials. However, there are steps that the institute can take to improve and add
to its existing marketing tools that will lead to increased awareness of the institute and its purpose. I will
address certain specific problems that I believe to be present in the current marketing strategies and tools
used by The Rutland Institute that may be contributing to decreased awareness and participation in its
programs.

Lack of Clarity
Clarity of purpose is a fundamental necessity in achieving awareness. A person will not respond to or
even remember something that is confusing and unclear. A message that carries a clear purpose has a
much greater chance of generating and maintaining awareness among its auditors. With the current
economic climate and increased audiences due to technological communication advancements, it is more
important than ever for an organization to accurately communicate its purpose and direction. The Rutland
Institute’s current website, brand and marketing tools do not adequately clarify its purpose or show how it
can benefit its members. Clarity of purpose relates directly to the logic of an argument. As one of
Aristotle’s three means of persuasion (logos), an appeal to logic is indeed a useful rhetorical tool. By
stating its purpose and benefits clearly and logically, the Rutland Institute can succeed in convincing
potential members and participants of its necessity and value. I believe that The Rutland Institute exhibits a
lack of clarity in two key areas:

A. The overall purpose of the institute. Although The Rutland Institute has an important purpose, it is not
effectively emphasized on its website or in its other marketing materials. Simple, specific examples of
how the institute seeks to serve its purpose are not clearly articulated. On the “About Robert J. Rutland”
page of the institute’s website, a quote from Mr. Rutland makes his personal vision of the institute’s
purpose understood: “The purpose of the Institute for Ethics is to encourage discussion on campus, in
businesses and in the community about how ethical decision-making can be the basis of both personal and
professional success.” Yes, this is a clear statement, but it is located on a secondary page of the website
hidden within body text and it is not reiterated on the home page or in another conspicuous place on the
site. It is not expanded upon or emphasized consistently throughout the content of the site or in the content
of the brochures, logo or other marketing materials. For individuals to be persuaded by something, they
must first hear and understand it. It needs to be reiterated and its importance emphasized. Clarity of purpose
is a first step in achieving that understanding. Hormozi, Sutton, McMinn, and Lucio reflect a similar
opinion in their article, “Business plans for new or small businesses: paving the path to success” (755-763).
In it, they stress the importance communicating a clear purpose in the development of business plans.
They state, “[a] precise mission statement should show a clear purpose, because a business that is focused
has a higher probability of success in the workplace” (757). Marketing tools are “business plans” of sorts,
in that they seek to increase awareness and generate participation and funding. In the case of The Rutland
Institute for Ethics, “success in the workplace” can be measured in part by the level of understanding of its
purpose among potential audience members and their motivation to participate in its programs. The purpose
of the institute and specific ways the institute seeks to serve that purpose should be a primary focus of its
marketing tools. A solid, understandable statement of purpose provides the foundation for achieving
understanding and awareness among audience members.
B. The benefits of ethical behavior. The importance of ethics in business, academics, and everyday life is
something that is often underemphasized or altogether ignored. Among organizations and individuals,
there seems to exist a general lack of understanding of the purpose and benefits of ethics. […..] The
importance of ethical behavior is too often only realized when its absence becomes obvious. Ethics are
sometimes even seen as a set of oppressive rules that stand in the way of success. In fact, the opposite is
true. In his article, “Why Ethics?” (28-34), Michael G. Daigneault proposes that incorporating ethics
initiatives into corporate practices leads to benefits in many areas. In terms of practicality, he states, “[an]
ethical working environment minimizes employee distrust, anger, hostility and fear” (30). With regard to
public perception, he states “[a]n effective ethics initiative serves the organization when others recognize
that you work actively to set and meet the highest ethical standards in everything you do” (30). In other
words, a company or person that follows a standard of ethics will achieve an increased level of credibility
and respect from customers and colleagues. Gaining this type of credibility equity (ethos) would certainly
be a benefit to any person or organization seeking improvement. Ethical practices in business, academics,
and everyday life lead to increased success financially, professionally, and personally. The Rutland
Institute does not present a clear argument or a list of reasons why ethical practices would be desirable in
one‘s life and work on its website or in its marketing materials. I propose that the institute would garner
increased interest from potential participants if it emphasized the benefits to be gained from the adoption of
ethical guidelines. A clear explanation of the benefits of adopting ethical guidelines would undoubtedly
spark the interest of a potential Rutland Institute member or participant. It is a strategic appeal to the logic
(logos) of the audience. Audiences are persuaded to take action most often when they are logically
convinced that there will be some type of personal or professional benefit from that action.

Brand Inconsistency.
Another factor contributing to the lack of awareness of the Rutland Institute and its program is, I believe,
a lack of consistent branding. The entirety of an organization’s identity as presented to all of its
stakeholders constitutes its brand. A memorable brand is sure to lead to an increase in awareness and
familiarity. The Rutland Institute lacks a cohesive brand identity, both rhetorically and visually. Its
website and marketing materials are inconsistent and show little unity in their design and message. In their
book chapter, “Corporate Branding - an Evolving Concept” (9-20). Schultz, Antorini, and Csaba state
that “…branding basically represents a relatively simple idea, that the organization and everything it stands
for is mobilized to interact with the stakeholders the organization wants to reach and engage them in
dialogue” (12). The Rutland Institute does not have a brand identity that “mobilizes it to interact” with its
potential members. Its message is fractured and its designs are inconsistent. A quality brand identity that is
used effectively and consistently is a powerful rhetorical tool in the task of generating awareness of the
product or entity being represented by it. I believe that the The Rutland Institute’s brand inconsistency is
caused by two factors:
A. Rhetorical brand. As stated in the previous section, The Rutland Institute lacks a clearly and
consistently stated purpose. As a result of this, it does not project a clear and strong ethos to define its
rhetorical brand. In his article, “Brand Asset Management: how businesses can profit from the power of
brand,” Scott Davis states that strong brands “…provide the organization with an overall clarity of
purpose” (357). An effective brand can communicate visually and rhetorically by further helping to
resolve issues of clarity (as discussed in the previous section). Effective branding can also help to
communicate a distinctive identity. A company’s rhetorical brand is what defines its image. In their study,
“Identity, Image, and Issue Interpretation: Sensemaking During Strategic Change in Academia,” Gioia and
Thomas write that, “[i]mage is tied to perceptions of how external constituencies view the organization…
(372).” The way an organization brands itself rhetorically leads directly to its public image. In discussing
the impact of inconsistent branding in his article, “Universities: a prime example of branding going wrong“
(466-467), Colin Jevons cites the example of branding issues at some large universities “…where the
identity, offerings, and culture of the individual colleges…are much more distinctive than the university as
a whole” (467). In this example, the overall brand of the university has been greatly overshadowed by the
diverse and competing brands of its smaller components. In discussing possible solutions, Jevons goes on
to say, “[t]he answer, of course, is branding, as a shorthand measure of the whole range of criteria that go to
make up the quality of a university” (466). A strong consistent overarching rhetorical identity that clearly
communicates the purpose of the institute will help to overcome brand obscurity and achieve maximum
awareness. .

B. Visual brand. Visual design elements, such as company logos, colors, websites, marketing tools, and
information design are critical to establishing an effective brand. The Rutland Institute’s logo is unique in
its design, but it is not distinctly recognizable, as it is hard to read, and the only real “meaning” it exudes
exists in the words that it contains. Its design is confusing and does not elicit a positive feeling. It is overly
complex and it incorporates confusing and ambiguous design elements that fail to effectively visually
represent the ethos of the institute. The website design is random and colorless and shows no relationship
to any of the other marketing materials used by the institute. The brochures are few in number and are
inconsistent and unstructured in their designs. Brand images that are inconsistent, fractured, or fail to
correctly capture the essence of the things they signify, lead to confusion and a lack of clarity. Lack of
clarity leads to a lack of understanding and awareness. Offering general guidelines for logo selection in
their article, “Guidelines for selecting or modifying logos,” Henderson and Cote state that “…[d]efining
what constitutes a ’good’ logo depends on the situation and the objectives for that logo. Traditionally,
good logos are recognizable (correct), meaningful and affectively positive” (24). The visual brand of an
organization should tie directly in with the rhetorical brand and speak directly to the purpose set forth by
the organization and the audience to whom it is targeted.
Unusable Website.
With the explosion of social networks and wireless communication in recent years, the internet has become
a major channel for marketing and generating awareness. People are turning to the web for information
more than ever. An organization’s website is absolutely crucial to its identity and its connection to its
audience. A poorly designed website will fail in communicating its message and it will frustrate users.
Unfortunately, the Rutland Institute’s website is very disorganized and confusing, rendering it virtually
unusable. I believe that this is a major factor in the institutes problem with generating awareness and
participation. John Eighmey and Lola McCord present findings of a study examining audience experience
with websites in their article, “Adding Value in the Information Age: Uses and Gratifications of Sites on
the World Wide Web” (187-194). In the study, the most preferred site among users excelled in
“…entertainment value, personal involvement, and personal relevance. The site also performed well on
the items associated with clarity of purpose” (192). The problems that have led to the failure of the
Rutland Institute’s website can be divided into three categories:

A. Design and structure. The design of the institute’s website is very fractured and inconsistent. There
are no identifiable sections that guide the user’s experience. The colors are stark and uninviting and
nothing about the design of the page or the use of color and style seems to express the ethos of the
institute. There are no interactive applications that engage the user or encourage him to look further into
the site. There are no dynamic visual elements and there is really nothing visually that creates intrigue or
elicits feeling.

B. Information. The information within the Rutland Institute website is scattered from page to page with no
clear logical progression. The purpose of the site and the institute are not present on the home page.
Each connecting page seems independent of the rest of the site. It seems almost is as if a collection of
independently written descriptions was assembled randomly.

C. Navigation. The site navigation system is virtually non-existent. It consists of a seemingly endless list
of links that extends down the left hand side of the site. They indicate the presence of secondary pages
and they provide avenues to get there. There are no flyouts and there is very little apparent pattern or
reason in the way these links are assembled. Their appearance as a hug and cumbersome list to sort
through is intimidating and uninviting.

Project Plan
The problems described in the previous section may seem overwhelming, but as many as they are in
number, they are all able to be addressed relatively directly. Issues of clarity, branding, and website
redesigns are challenging to tackle but they are not uncommon. The main objective of this plan is to
increase the membership of and participation in the programs and activities of The Rutland Institute for
Ethics. This lack of participation, as previously discussed is due, in part to a lack of awareness of the
institute and its programs among Clemson students, faculty, staff, and citezens in the surrounding
community. In order to do this, I propose to make several key sweeping changes to increase awareness of
the site.

Solution (phase) I - Increase awareness by increasing clarity.

A. Define and state the purpose of the Rutland Institute.
1. Meet with Rutland Institute board members to determine a consensus of the Rutland Institute’s
purpose. Try to develop it as a mission statement.
2. Strategically incorporate this mission statement into the home page of the website and in
conspicuous places on marketing materials.

B. Demonstrate the benefits of ethics.

1. Research and cite specific examples of instances where individuals and people have directly
benefited from adopting ethical practices and incorporating them into their lives or businesses..
2. Redefine paradigms about ethics as a code of rigid and unattainable rules. Use language that
positions the concept of ethics as something that is good and beneficial.

Solution (phase) II - Increase awareness by establishing a new and distinct brand.

A. Establish rhetorical brand.
1. Drawing from the purpose of the institute as defined in phase 1, develop a rhetorical identity
for the institute. Include considerations of audiences, environments, and other constraints in the
development of this rhetorical brand. It will sort through all of the contradictions present within
the organization to arrive at a persuasive element that defines the essence of the institute. This
brand will embody the ethos of the organization and
everything it stands for. It will be the rhetorical benchmark for all designs included in this
project.

B. Establish visual brand.

1. Once the rhetorical brand is established, develop a style sheet that is derived directly from it.
It will include colors, layouts, fonts, schemes, design elements that will be the visial foundation
for the deliverables in this project.

Solution (phase) III - Increase awareness by creating a dynamically inviting and usable website.
A. Collect and reorganize website information.
 1. Use the information gathered in phase I to determine which information is the most pertinent
in explaining the purpose of the Rutland Institute. Remove information that is repetitive and
unnecessary.
2. Sort the secondary information about programs, activities, and connected organizations and
decide the best way to place them strategically on the site.

B. Construct a new site structure, layout and design.

1. Drawing from the defined ethos of the institute, set up a structure and layout that fits the
rhetorical brand of the institute. Structure it to be inviting and enlightening.
2. Incorporate interactive features and multimedia graphics.

C. Incorporate a clean and usable navigation and interface.

1. Create a navigation system that is easy to use and understand. It should not overwhelm the
user but it should be clear in its content and design. It should be manageable in size and it
should incorporate flyouts and secondary links where possible.
2. Create an overall interface that captures the rhetorical brand of the institute. One look at it
should elicit the desired feeling about the institute and its purpose and benefits. The interface
should be clean and usable.
.

Conclusion
Summarize the proposal.

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